What does "parachute" mean?
A device, generally constructed from fabric, that is designed to employ air resistance to control the fall of an object or person, causing them to float instead of falling.
Parachute
/ˈpæɹəʃuːt/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A device, generally constructed from fabric, that is designed to employ air resistance to control the fall of an object or person, causing them to float instead of falling.
- Grammar: parachute is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: chute, airdrop, bail out, breeches buoy.
- Useful contrasts: ascend, depart by land, free fall.
- Usage evidence: In 1912, the Austrian tailor Franz Reichelt died jumping off the first floor of the Eiffel Tower while trying out his new invention, the parachute coat, which did not work...
How to use "parachute"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "parachute" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "parachute" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "parachute" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "parachute" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "parachute" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chute" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "parachute", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A device, generally constructed from fabric, that is designed to employ air resistance to control the fall of an object or person, causing them to float instead of falling.
- 2 rescue equipment consisting of a device that fills with air and retards your fall wordnet
- 3 A web or fold of skin extending between the legs of gliding mammals, such as the flying squirrel and colugo.
- 4 Any of various mushrooms with broad, domed caps.
- 5 A small collar which fastens around the scrotum and from which weights can be hung.
"Under that there are dildos and butt-plugs arranged by size on two shelves: two fat butt-plugs and four small ones, four two-headed dildos, eight ordinary dildos. Under that, the little material hanging on nails: five different pairs of nipple clamps, some clothespins, a parachute for the balls, a dog collar, two hoods, one in leather, one in latex, six cockrings, in steel or leather, regular or with built-in ball-squeezers, two dick sheaths […]"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A large sheet of fabric used in children's physical education, often colorful, with handles allowing many people to control its motion.
Verb
- 1 To jump, fall, descend, etc. using such a device. intransitive
"Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth."
- 2 jump from an airplane and descend with a parachute wordnet
- 3 To introduce into a place using such a device. transitive
"The soldiers were parachuted behind enemy lines."
- 4 To place (somebody) in an organisation in a position of authority without their having previous experience there; used with in or into. transitive
- 5 To wrap illicit drugs in a covering before swallowing them, so that they will be released for absorption when the covering dissolves within the body. slang
Proper Noun
- 1 A town in Garfield County, Colorado, United States, named after Parachute Creek; it was renamed Grand Valley in 1908, regaining its original name in the 1980s.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In 1912, the Austrian tailor Franz Reichelt died jumping off the first floor of the Eiffel Tower while trying out his new invention, the parachute coat, which did not work..."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "parachute"?
Common synonyms include: chute, airdrop, bail out, breeches buoy, brolly, buoy.
How do you use "parachute" in a sentence?
In 1912, the Austrian tailor Franz Reichelt died jumping off the first floor of the Eiffel Tower while trying out his new invention, the parachute coat, which did not work...
How do you pronounce "parachute"?
Pronounced /ˈpæɹəʃuːt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French parachute, from para- (“protection against”) (as in parasol) and chute (“fall”).